Why do US and European models have different names?

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese company.

I understand the comment regarding the 'sensitivity' of the term V2 in Europe, but why "moreover by a Japanese company"? Japan neither developed nor used the V2.

On the other hand, a "Mercedes V2" or a "Honda Pearl Harbour Sedan" would be entirely inappropriate ;-)

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Only because Japan partnered with Germany during World War 2. In my opinion this is reason enough.

Nowadays marketing is not very easy, but this could have been avoided. Although I am not interested in history I even know this. Ok, without this knowledge you cannot imagine that this term could be inadequate. But why do you have to change a model number anyway? I don' t see why "V" is much better than "S110". And why did "S40, S30, G1, G2, A40, ..." keep their numbers?

It' s more obvious that names have to be changed, because they might have a negetive meaning. I know of Mitsubishi who had to rename the "Pajero" in Spanish speaking countries, because of the "dirty" meaning of this word.

I would prefer having one name for all countries. It makes it easier to talk about something and to compare it. Or is this what the companies don' t want? It' s useless anyway, people who travel to the US or Asia to buy cheap electronics will be aware of this fact.

sowen said:

On the other hand, a "Mercedes V2" or a "Honda Pearl Harbour Sedan"
would be entirely inappropriate ;-)

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

By the way, it's not called the "V2"; it's called the "V²". That's, "V-squared". I don't think anyone's made a rocket by that name yet.

sowen said:

By the way, it's not called the "V2"; it's called the "V²". That's,
"V-squared". I don't think anyone's made a rocket by that name yet.

Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. I have seen it printed on the camera, but many sites say v2. Even canon' s site does sometimes use v2. It' s not a big deal anyway, just wondered about the name.

More important is why they change model numbers, I don' t see any advantages than confusing customers.

quix said:

I don' t see why "V" is much better than "S110". And why did "S40,
S30, G1, G2, A40, ..." keep their numbers?

Click to expand...

The "V" letters stays for "Video". In fact the the S10 haven't this feature. Understand?

Hehhe... you dont really think that anybody in Japan comes into a photo store, sees a "V-2" camera and thinks to himself: "Hmm.. 50 years ago Germany developed a V-2 rocket and it killed a lot of people. Japan was allied with Germany in that war. I am not going to buy this camera"


Asus, for example, made a SocketA (Athlon/Duron) motherboard called AK-47

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Probably the reason for the different names is to help prevent the grey market importing of models. A Canon with a different name for Europe as opposed to the USA model is definitely a warning to the consumer that they are not purchasing a product intended for that particular market. Conversely the same goes for Europeans who might purchase a camera intended for the US. Many times these cameras are packaged with different voltage chargers or with different language bases.
Steve H

[Shizo] said:

Asus, for example, made a SocketA (Athlon/Duron) motherboard called
AK-47

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Hi,

The "Digital Elph" models in the USA are known by three names around the world.... Europe/Australia/SE Asia = Digital IXUS, Japan = IXY Digital and the USA/Canada = PowerShot ... Digital Elph

So this means....

PowerShot S200 = Digital IXUS v² = IXY Digital 200a
PowerShot S330 = Digital IXUS 330 = IXY Digital 300a

The real reasoning is also marketing... the orginal models looked like the APS camera version of the IXUS / Elph / IXY that was on sale in the regions. Canon simply decided to adopt this regional "brand" to these models.

PowerShot User
http://www.benel.com/powershot/pic-of-the-day.php

Steve said:

[Shizo] said:

Asus, for example, made a SocketA (Athlon/Duron) motherboard called
AK-47

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I think it has to do with Customs. So that when a tourist returns to his/her home country the Customs Officers can see that the camera/equipment was purchased overseas. They can also tell by the serial numbers (I am told)

quix said:

sowen said:

By the way, it's not called the "V2"; it's called the "V²". That's,
"V-squared". I don't think anyone's made a rocket by that name yet.

Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. I have seen it printed on the camera, but many
sites say v2. Even canon' s site does sometimes use v2. It' s not a
big deal anyway, just wondered about the name.

More important is why they change model numbers, I don' t see any
advantages than confusing customers.

Click to expand...

--
G2 User

Could be also to do with copyright issues. A name may be taken in one country or region, possibly even after the product was first released in the original country.

i.e:
Burger King was originally called Hungry jacks in Australia

Jo

PowerShot User said:

PowerShot User said:

PowerShot User said:

quix said:

I don' t understand why Canon uses different names for the same
camera model in the US than in Europe.

Have you known that the V2 is almost named like a terrifying rocket
of World War 2 (V-2, but many also write V2)? It is not very
suitable to use such a name in Europe, moreover by an Japanese
company.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...